Coming to Live at Brian Lewis House

Coming to live at Abbeyfield is a real pleasure. If you are potentially interested in a resident’s place at Brian Lewis House, please contact our administration manager by telephone on 01865 790439 (with answer-phone) or 01865 262220, or by filling in the form on our Contact Us page. She will be happy to talk to you about all aspects of the House,including taking a look around, coming for a trial stay for a couple of nights, or applying to join.

Our residents are currently aged between 75 and 95 – there is no upper age limit. We offer equal and fair access to all, regardless of gender, race, colour or religion.

Conservatory chat

Low income is not of itself a barrier, as housing and other benefits may be used. We can give you confidential information and advice about this if you wish.

Health-wise, we ask that new residents should be in reasonably good health and active, specifically:

Mobility: Residents should be able to get around the house on their own, at least from their room to the dining-room, using walking aids or a wheelchair if necessary. They should be able to eat unaided.

Continence: Residents should be continent and able to use the toilet unaided.

Physical health: Residents should not be suffering a known, serious illness likely to produce significant debility or special care needs in the foreseeable future.

Mental health: Residents should be alert, capable of making their own decisions and administering their own medication. They should not have unstable mental illness or progressive degenerative disorders.

However, we can accept new residents who already use the services of a visiting carer – in fact, keeping the same carer usually eases the transition into the new environment.

We aim for residents to stay as long as possible. We review annually, with each resident and their sponsor, how they are coping. If there is any problem or marked deterioration in their condition, we can hold more frequent reviews. If a resident is reaching a point where they need more support than we and the resident’s carers can give, we will help the resident and their sponsor to find alternative, more suitable accommodation.

Short stays

As well as providing long-term accommodation, we can sometimes offer short-term accommodation for elderly individuals – for a few days or weeks. This can be valuable during a period of convalescence, or for families looking after an elderly relative who want to take a short holiday. The house is also suitable for residents of other Abbeyfield homes who would like a brief change of scene. Short-stay residents are provided with their own room and en suite bathroom, and all the services and facilities offered to residents at Brian Lewis House.

John, pictured right, spent a few months with us recovering from open heart surgery. He was so impressed with Brian Lewis House, and how the stay aided his recovery, that he wrote a short piece about his experiences which you can see here Convalescing In Brian Lewis House. He has now returned home, and is again enjoying life to the full. He keeps in touch with friends at the house and often visits on his bike.

Individuals wanting a respite stay at Brian Lewis House need to meet the same eligibility criteria as long-term residents. After an initial stay, they may come back again from time to time for short-stays if there is a room. Short stays are charged on a daily or weekly basis. We can sometimes assist in obtaining benefit or charitable grants, if needed, to pay for short-term respite care. For further information, contact our Administration Manager on 01865 790439 (with answer-phone) or 01865 262220.